Another Trip to the ER

Crewe has had a bug since Friday night. Vomiting, fever, lack of appetite, occasional cough, etc. Calahan had the same bug earlier in the week and the pediatrician told us it was just a virus and to let it take it's course. We assumed it was the same with Crewe and were just trying to ride it out.

We should know by now that even the simplest cold becomes complicated with a trach. And the trach complicated things again. Crewe's cough started to get worse. We gave him a couple of breathing treatments yesterday, but they didn't seem to help for too long. And by last night he was coughing pure blood out of his trach. It was so bad that it soaked the top of his PJs.

So...at midnight I took Crewe to the extremely busy ER at Phoenix Children's. It was so busy that they had to take his vitals in the waiting room. (PCH has a big problem with those on state-sponsored insurance going to the ER for routine matters because the ER doesn't have a co-pay like the regular doctor does, but I digress). After several hours, tests, and x-rays, we learned that the poor little guy has pneumonia in his right lung AND the most recent strain of the flu. The attending doctor gave Crewe an antibiotic through his IV and asked us to continue one at home. The antibiotic should have a big impact within the first 24 hours so we are hoping for a much better day tomorrow.